Fauna

Protection Treaties

Natura 2000

Infrastracture

Mountaineering

Parnon is the largest mountain of Peloponnese, taking a total space of about half a million acres, in two regions; Arcadia and Laconia. The Municipalities in which Parnon extends are North and South Kynouria, Arcadia, Monemvasia and Laconia. The mountain is divided in three parts, its tallest being the north and its height decreasing as the mountain range goes from south to southeast, ending up in Laconia. The tallest peak has a height of 1935 metres and is named Tourla or Kronion, since it was considered to be the peak of the titan Kronos.

The mountain is an ecosystem of immense ecological importance, with a huge wealth of fauna and flora. Some species of flora are common in Greece, while others are found only on Parnon. The common are the Black Pine, the Fir of Kefalinia, the Foetid Juniper, the Oak, the Plane Tree, the Chestnut Tree and the Carob Tree; the unique to Parnon are the Wild Pansy of Parnon, the Sweetscented Bedstraw of Elona, the Sweetscented Bedstraw of Malevos, the Astragalus Agraniotii, the Draba Strasseri Greuter, the Centaurea Laconica, the Centaurea Parnonia, the Cyclamen of Peloponnese (scientific name Cyclamen Repandum ssp. Peloponnesiacum var. Vividum), the Matricaria Rosella, the Minuartia Wettsteinii ssp. Parnonia (full scientific name), the Nepeta Orphanidea, the Petrorhagia Grandiflora, the Potentilla Arcadiensis, the Silene Laconica and the Stachys Chrysantha.

In respect to fauna, the diversity of the mammals is characteristic of the Peloponnesian diversity of the modern times, that is without any larger carnivores. The usual mammalian species can be found, as in the rest of Peloponnese and Greece, namely the Hare, the Fox, the Badger, the Marten, the Weasel, the Jackal, rodents, the Bat and the Hedgehog; the avifauna is incredibly rich, and some of the birds found in Parnor are the Great Tit, the Eurasian Nuthatch, the Thrush, the Blackbird, the Sparrow, the Swallow and the Hooded Crow.

Because of its biodiversity, the area is protected with changes to local environmental protection systems, and some parts of the mountain are in the list of Important Bird Areas of Greece. An example is a grove of Syrian Juniper next to the Monastery of Malevi which is protected under government decree as a Protected Natural Monument. Many areas of Parnon are also protected under the Natura 2000 decree, while others are considered "Wildlife Shelters".

It stands to reason that Parnon is a popular ecotourism destination. Many historical monasteries are also built on the mountain's slopes, such as the Elona Monastery. The mountain covers a huge area, and as such, not all trails are completely signposted. The visitors are recommended to be prepared with maps and instructions so that they find their destination easily; a good source for maps and information is the Greek Mountaineering Club of Sparta's Retreat. Also, it is good for the traveller to know that inside the various streams and gorges of Parnon, there is a strong possibility that mobile phones won't have any signal.